Dedicated area for Motorhomes on club sites..
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We all chose to use our choice of (I'm going to say it) camping vehicle. If I have booked and paid the same price for my pitch I'm with first come first served in the T&C of the club, it's bad enough that wardens discretion can allocate pitches should they see fit, sometimes for a large vehicle 😉. If my motorhome takes up less on my pitch than someone's twin axle full awning and car does on theirs that the way it is. If you chose to tow or use a large van that is your choice and it clearly states on club sites maximum size of unit. That is something to consider when purchasing, why should other users be expected to accommodate your choice. I would have every sympathy for a disabled member requiring get a larger unit but that should be accommodated anyway as disabled under wardens provisions.
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"I think this says why motorhomes(sorry motor caravans) should never have been allowed to be part of a caravan club. Caravans stay for x nights, motor homes generally move on a daily basis and distrupting the ethos of a caravan holiday..... And of course which is why the club name, albeit a trading name, has changed ( it still retains the Caravan Club Ltd) Otherwise motor home users would have to buy up suitable sites..."
The above is from one of your posts in 'Payment at booking'. I Ieave it to others to decide if you are anti MH but your thoughts of MHs disrupting the ethos of a caravan holiday (whatever that is) gives a hefty clue.
I don't feel alienated in any way as this club is fully inclusive. However, your determination to segregate, and your divisive ideas, are exactly what could cause alienation. As it is, I see only one person with alien views.
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If the pitch really was too short for the T/A, then that was lack of management on the part of the warden if both had bookings.
He/she knew what was arriving and should have reserved the longer pitch and directed the campervan to use the smaller pitch.
All pitches are not necessarily the same length and even if the big van was within the length limit the warden may have to allocate pitches at busy times.
Last year we used a serviced pitch at The Firs in Belper. When we arrived the warden told OH that he had reserved a pitch for us as some of the serviced pitches were too short for our van.
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I don't have any problems with motorhome only areas, just not on CAMC sites. Which ever way you spin it, the net result would be a greater number of pitches on which you could site a motorhome than a caravan. How could that ever be acceptable in an inclusive club.
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In the winter months, a non awning and or narrower pitch is fine for us but in the summer months, we always book an awning pitch...
We have a roll out canopy which increases our width by 2 metres, but also in the summer we carry a 2.5 metres square utility tent in which we store BBQ, chairs, table etc whilst on site...
So no, I would like to keep using exactly the same sized pitches as we do now.. A smaller sized pitch would not be suitable at all in the summer months.
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Well there seems to be no way of getting more land so why not look at ways of increasing capacity by having smaller width hardstanding pitches say five meters wide primarily for motorhomes but also for those caravaners who do not want to pitch an awning. If you still maintain a 6 meter spacing then for every two 10 meter wide pitches you would get three 5 meter ones.
It is a waste of time talking about being inclusive, in the eyes of many, service and economy pitches are not inclusive so why shouldn't there not be smaller pitches? Reduce the fee and I am sure there would be many who would use them.
peedee
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A five metre wide pitch isn't very user friendly for a caravan, unless the car could be parked in front. Our caravan and car add up to 4 metres. So allowing a small strip so the barrel / waste don't have to be on the grass, you will hardly be able to get out of your car or the caravan, unless you park on the grass.
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There used to be more pitches until the clamber for Hard standings which then needed more space, thus reducing pitches,and as non awning pitches are narrower anyway,a motor caravan can use them unless of course they want their awning extended and their towed car also on a pitch
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If you still maintain a 6 meter spacing then for every two 10 meter wide pitches you would get three 5 meter ones.
Or look at it another way. For 20 pitches that many would wish to use you get 30 pitches that would be many peoples last choice. Could you see many commercials adopting that? Many MH users that I see on site also want awning space, if not for an awning, then to put table and chairs on. The idea that motorhomers are out from dawn til dusk and only want to park up late in the day ready to bed down seems a tad romanticised as I have known it happen rarely but not often. I prefer the present system. If a site is full then I go elsewhere
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You cannot have it both ways, clamour for more sites and more pitches and not look at using existing land more effectively. I have no idea what the proportion of members owning motorhomes currently is but it was 30 percent 2/3 years ago. If that proportion translates into site occupancy then in theory 30 percent of the pitches could be smaller. even making an allowance for some motorhome owners wanting to put up an awning you could still have many more smaller pitches on a site than there currently are.
I can easily get my motorhome and towed car side by side on a 5 meter wide pitch.
peedee
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I agree with Ian. Units are already close enough on site.
I don't think making 'motorhome only' pitches is going to work. If members were confused during the hard standing trial they will be even more confused when they want a nice big pitch but get directed to a small one because they've booked a motorhome pitch.
Far better to make all pitches available to as many members as possible.
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I don't want it both ways PD. I just have no desire for substandard pitches.
Actually when you talk of 10m wide pitches - I wish.More often 8m wide maybe. And guess what - the car or awning needs to be only 3m from the adjacent car or awning and hence on many pitches sits within the 6m clearance. 5 metre wide pitch is fine if you don't want tables and chairs on your pitch or to maybe dry some clothes or put out an awning in summer. You may wish to do none of these PD but many motorhomers do.
If you can fit car and motorhome on a 5 metre wide pitch then I can fit caravan and car. Would I wish to? What do you think.
So there would be a great saving. The club may fit more units on and be able to reduce site fees for all. Those on the actual narrow pitches might save £2 or £3 a night.
I read more complaints about narrow pitches than about those that are too wide.
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Is it not the same at Morton in the Marsh or have I got the wrong Cotswold site. Far from ideal Ian and I suspect that given the costs at peak time when extra pitches are required would I wish to spend say £27 for an inferior pitch or £30 for a decent pitch? In addition when I consider the costs incurred in outfit purchase, depreciation, running costs, that might be the difference between a nightly cost of say £50 and £47.
The only advantages is more pitches. The disadvantage is more pitches that most would not want.
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Well I suppose if you could do it PD then I could but would have no wish to. Standard car park bay is 2.4 metres. Caravan is 2.3m wide. that leaves 300mm to sidle down the side of the caravan. I could park closer and step out onto grass. Let me see a substandard car park width and a sub standard seating area to save a few quid and prevent others having to look elsewhere for a site. Not for me
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As motorhomers, we prefer the non awning pitches except when they are tucked away as a second thought, or on the site's 'wasteland'. Old Hartley is already a no awning site.
I doubt building more, smaller pitches will address the overcrowding at peak times though because the majority of those restricted by school terms seem to have caravans with awnings [as we did]. The overall infrastructure and facilities would need to be upgraded to cope with more people and vehicles. And the pitch price would need to come down by half to encourage people to use them.
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Your jumping to conclusions ET when you say "most would not want" You don't know that! I would like to bet with at least 30 percent of members owning motorhomes and a lower price they would not go unused.
Moreton does indeed have some smaller pitches, I cannot remember what Cirencesters' were like. Are they all none awning? Perhaps they could be used as a trial at a lower price.
The Club has rebranded, now they have to prove it was worth it. The Club is not going to attract the new owners by sitting on its laurels.
peedee
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And the pitch price would need to come down by half to encourage people to use them.
Or, in peak time when that is all that is available to look elsewhere. I have been on some non awning pitches at Bunree and Old Hartley. Not been on any 5 metres wide though. Probably 7m at least.
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